Auri Filum: A type of handkerchief from the 17th century Hungary

Illésházy Gáspárné 1648

From the 16-17th century we know many archieves about keszkenő, or the handkerchief which mainly held in the hand. Probably 14th century, has already appeared in Hungary, where the in royal wardrobe can be found. A scarf or handkerchief covering the hands. The standard measures were usually between 20 and 40 cm, sided trimmed textilepieces which were decorated with a variety of embroidery and laces on the trim. Like the rest of the aristocratic attire there is more data about the upper classes, as well as paintings made of them. A girl usually had 10-20 pieces of handkerchief, but that number could reach up to 100 pieces. A wide variety of materials and decorated items can be found in the inventories. In the 16th century appears in costume-paintings, where women are held in their hands. This was lived in ethnographic era still 19-20th century, usually at festive occasions. So far, in excavation no one still remains or just fragments of whole cloth, but it probably can be the surviving habit of the early modern tradition. In addition, placed it to the dead man's funeral in the 16th century, because it is visible in a spacial type of paintings. These were made after the death from the corps and placed it to the funeralstage during the mass. It also seems that the society had a meaning for it, as a personal memory of the dead who buried with it. But if the bride was unfaithful, the groom tore the received dowry.

In the ethnographic tradition, often used during the dance, woman dried the swelter of the man. Often a lover or a young husband received kerchief, which was worn in a pocket or pinned to the waist. In the 16th century we find it in men's and women's inventories as well, so the habit of give a shawl as a dowry can back up to the appearance of it. The used materials were very variables like fine linen, thin and thick linen, Hungarian canvas (gyolcs), Polish and Moravian cambric (patyolat) in the inventories. Ethnographic pieces are also made from fine, lightweight materials, as said above the linen or canvas.

The techniques of embroidery were very diverse, despite the fact that we know just a few items, and they are survived the decades in collections, just because of the fine material, which can be easily destroyed, dissipated. The inventories can be found silk thread embroidery with skófium (auri filum, a silk string with gold), and Hungarian gold. The colors were generally quite variable, all-white to colorful can be found. Red and green were regarded to fashionable colors. This is understandable when you consider that the majority of plants used for ornamentation. The techniques of embroidery next to the Hungarian we can find Spanish and Italian style in the sources. The clean white embroidery remained until the 20th century, because it was very popular. On the edge of the handkerchief can be also found many kinds of laces from the Turkish fringed type to the bone-lace from the 15th century

Currently, a finely woven fabric material is selected to prepare a handkerchief. This is 20x 20 cm in size and the embroidery pattern is Ottoman, four-flower style. Worked off the edges with silk thread and used the same silk to made a lace with loops. The lace could be prepared quickly and easily. I make a double loop about a 1 cm long trim-part. I continue this knotting method on the loops. In the meantime, it is worth paying attention to keep knots tightly because they easily turn away. The Turkish sample fills with different type of embroirey tecniques .But let this be a separate record because of the difficulty ...